Handford Wines

While his family has been growing grapes for 14 generations, Louis Barruol is the first of the clan to bottle his own wines, rather than sell grapes to local negociants. Indeed, Louis has become a negociant himself, sourcing grapes and wines throughout the Rhone valley and making an outstanding range of wines. The basic Cotes du Rhone puts most producers to shame, while the Gigondas made from his own estate fruit is always one of the top wines of the appellation. Louis makes his wine without fining and his wines are bottled unfiltered to produce exuberant fruit and flavour as well as lots of character. His wines remain one of our star finds and judging by all the great reviews he has received we are lucky to have found them when we did.

The Wine

Syrah grown on ancient granitic soils in an amphitheatrical setting yields a pure, but austere style that takes a couple of years in bottle to come to fruition. Complex nose with dried flowers and spice; charm, purity and balance in the mouth, this will evolve wonderfully in the medium term. 2010 to 2015

Single Bottle: £19.99

In a case of 12: £18.99